Of Dreams Forgotten
by LunarRainbowReaper
Summary: When her little brother dies of an illness, Sarah is struck by grief. To escape from the reality, she wishes upon the Goblin King to take her away.
1. Bad News

The story of this whole fanfiction is already packed into a small 2 minute video I made over at youtube that you can watch here

watch?v=ij9PVM0um_0

Don't watch if you don't want to spoil what's to come though.

I just wanted to write it down as a story, because hey, why not! I'm a little rusty, so forgive me if things read a little awkward.

Thanks for reading!

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The news had come to her as a shock.

Not even a week ago, her little brother had collapsed suddenly during playtime, to which the adults acted frightfully.

Sarah was concerned and had wondered what was wrong with Toby, having accepted him in her life after her adventures in the Labyrinth several months ago. Perhaps even years had past, she couldn't quite remember. She had been far too busy preparing herself for a bright future.

She soon found out that Toby had an incurable illness, one that would surely be his death should his state worsen. Her parents had kept her in the dark about it, since they had the blind hope of him recovering.

Today, Sarah watched as her father and stepmother rushed Toby to the hospital. She was in such a state of shock, she didn't move from her spot for several of minutes.

Why did it have to turn out this way? Finally she had grown wiser, and decided to grow up. Finally she let the kid into her heart and accepted him as her brother.

The phone rang. Slowly, Sarah pulled out of her trance, and took the horn of the phone.

"Hello?" she asked,

"Sarah, sit down." her father on the other end sounded grim, and she could swear she heard someone sobbing. She feared the worst.

"Yes..?" Sarah answered, noticing she wasn't moving. She just wanted to hear Toby was going to be okay.

"Toby-" her father's voice cracked. "Toby didn't make it."

The girl didn't answer, just stared straight ahead of her. "I need to be here for your mother, but we will be home in a few hours. I love you, Sarah."

Sarah didn't even have the energy to correct him that she was not her real mother, she just felt empty after the news.

Toby, her little brother she had forsaken to the Goblin King. Toby, the baby she decided to save after realizing she couldn't have him turned into a goblin. Toby, the one she had overcome hardships for, and even gave up her dreams for. He was gone now.

She made her way towards her room, picking up Lancelot, the stuffed animal that she had given to Toby in the end. Toby had been playing with it before he left.

She clutched it to her chest as she went in her room, slowly closing the door behind her to lean against it.

For a while, she just stood there, simply not knowing how to move any further. Eventually, she sat down behind her mirror, staring deeply into her reflection.

She needed someone to be there for her. Despite that her father had become more open towards her after she started giving Toby more love, he would still pick that woman's company over hers any time, she thought spitefully.

She looked back at her bed, wishing to see someone there to console her, but no one was there. Maybe it was better to be alone anyway. Who would she even call on? The ever so grumpy Hoggle? Ludo who could only talk with a few words? Sir Didimus who would talk _too_ much?

Staring at her shoes, she decided it wouldn't be a good idea after all. She gazed back into the mirror, and almost fell off her chair.

Jareth the Goblin King was sat on her bed and stared back at her with a questioning look in his eyes.

Sarah knew that if she would ignore him, he would leave. She thought she had seen him more than once in the corner of her eyes before, but dismissing it had always made that disappear.

However, the thought of being left alone, especially now someone was here, left her uncomfortable and fidgety.

"I feel lost." Her voice shook as she made eye-contact with the one she had played a battle of wits with long ago.

"I just feel lost." She croaked out once more, seeking a reaction from the Goblin King.

The man rose from the bed, softly calling her name, "Sarah," he approached her.

An unwanted feeling of longing washed over Sarah, but she assured herself it was because she was feeling lonely and was not in a right state of mind. She turned and hooked her arms around his neck, burrowing her face in his shoulder.

"Don't go." she whimpered, tightening her grip, "Please, don't go."

However much she led herself belief she hated this man, it was strangely comforting to embrace him.

Jareth was in a state of disbelief. The girl that had defied him, turned him down, downright ignored him even, was now clinging to him for dear life, begging him not to leave her.

Feeling an odd sense of satisfaction, but still a need for answers, he picked her up and carried her to his castle beyond the Goblin city.


	2. A Somber Morrow

Jareth wondered what had made the girl into such a meek little lamb. He had expected her to be full of fight the next time they met (if they would ever have met again), yet here she was, leaning against him on his throne, staring off into space.

He had ridden the throne room of his goblins because Sarah looked so distraught, but he could still hear their shrill voices out in the hallways.

The girl hadn't spoken a single word since he brought her here, much to his annoyance. Her tears had dried, but it was apparent that she was broken and tired. What caused such strange behavior to envelop someone who was usually so full of life? The Goblin King could only guess.

He did not mind that her body started to slump and lean more naturally against him. Seemingly, Sarah finally fell into a silent slumber. He watched her for a while, mesmerized by the way her chest rose with each breath, it was almost hypnotizing to the King.

How long had it been since she came and claimed the baby as prize for beating him at his own game anyway? Ah, how silly, how could he possibly forget? Sarah had been the last to sacrifice a baby to him. People from that realm just didn't believe in goblins anymore.

Yes, it had been almost 3 years since she claimed victory. That would make her a full grown adult now, wouldn't it? He mused to himself. However, as she lay before him, he couldn't think of her anything else than that stubborn 15 year old that would rather get her brother back than live in a land of dreams.

Humming a familiar tune, he summoned a crystal ball into his hand, the shiny orb creating a picture of a dwarven creature. "Hog head." he called out to it, making it jump and look around in confusion. "It's Hoggle." Hoggle scoffed as he looked around to see if Jareth would magically appear behind him. Jareth rolled his eyes, watching the pathetic creature.

"Alright, _that_. Listen to me closely, I will not repeat myself," he sighed gallantly, "Sarah is here, in my castle."

"Sarah?!" Hoggle perked up at the mention of the girl. Of course, they apparently were... friends.

A foul taste formed in his mouth. It was almost sickening he needed the help from the likes of Hoggle so that Sarah would speak.

"Calm down, Hog brain. I want you and those other knights of hers to come here and make her talk. You understand that much, can't you Hoggle?" Hoggle nodded suspiciously. "You haven't taken her against her will, did you Jareth?" He spoke up courageously.

How Jareth despised those who talked to him like that. But for once he dismissed it for the greater good. "Come, come, now. What do you think I am? Now gather those little friends of yours and meet me at my castle."

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It certainly didn't take long before Hoggle, Ludo and Didymus entered the throne room. Jareth figured they wouldn't, reminiscing that those 3 were part of his temporary downfall.

"My Lady!" the little dog yipped at the sight of Sarah on the King's throne. "Sarah!" Hoggle exclaimed. Jareth silenced them with just a glance, the 3 of them recoiling and cautiously watching his every move.

Jareth gently shook Sarah awake. The girl looked around the place disoriented before realizing where she was and why she was there.

"Sarah," Jareth was the first to speak. Sarah glanced to the direction of the voice and noticed that she was on the Goblin King's lap. He looked at her with intent eyes. "I think it's time for you to tell why you're here."

Sarah glanced around the room and noticed they had company. Panicking, she jumped up from the seat, yelling the names of her friends in surprise.

"What are you doing with Jareth?" Hoggle asked her disappointedly.

She took a moment to watch the people in the room before shaking her head. "Toby's- Toby's gone."

"Then we must go find him! Come, Ambrosius!" Sir Didymus was quick to jump to conclusions, and Sarah felt a pang in her heart.

"It's not that, he's..." her words trailed off, but the realization hit the room. While the 3 friends watched Sarah's face, Jareth cast his eyes to the ground, an air of melancholy surrounding him. He knew how much Sarah cared for Toby and he himself found the child had a certain charm when he was here, but what was there he could do?

Maybe if Sarah had given up the child, and he had turned it into a goblin in return, Toby would still be alive. He would not openly afmit this fact though. That would only fall in ill with her anyway, something the Goblin King did not wish to cast upon himself.

Sarah struggled with the silent response she was given, looking around the room one last time before deciding to run from yet another situation she couldn't handle.


	3. Definition of Fair

Sarah ran and ran. Oh, how she had hoped she could go here and forget about the real world, if even for a little while.

The goblins laughed and sneered as they tried to stop her in her tracks. Some tried to trip her, they threw chickens, and she could've sworn one even pointed a slingshot at her. Sarah growled as her pace dropped, her eyes filling with tears.

It wasn't fair. Why couldn't things go her way? Feeling her emotions were about to overrun her, she kicked a goblin out of her path, creating an exit. She took a deep breath and ran towards the dumping grounds.

Jareth's eyes were on her. After all, inside this world, all he needed was one of his crystals to watch what was happening in his Kingdom. Sarah was running like an escapee from prison, cutting a path straight ahead without caring who she ran over.

He couldn't help but grin as the Junk Lady was pushed over, despite knowing Sarah's inner turmoil as to why she was acting this way. It wasn't long before she had made her way into the forest near the Labyrinth.

For a moment she stopped, hesitating which path to take. One led down, to the Fireys domain. The other led up, to a more rocky environment.

Jareth spoke up, "I would take the higher path, if I were you." Sarah looked around agitated, "Don't tell me what to do!"

It wouldn't matter what he said now, for he knew Sarah was stubborn. He merely chuckled.

Sarah grunted, picking up a rock and throwing it in the air as if to silence him. When there was no sound from him in reply, she audibly sighed and chose the path Jareth picked out for her.

It would lead her straight towards the Labyrinth.

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><p>"What should we do?" Hoggle, Ludo and Didymus had stuck around Jareth's castle, knowing that he had eyes everywhere. While Jareth had preferred to be left alone, he allowed the three to stick around, if only it would make Sarah see him in a new light when he would tell her.<p>

"Sarah, sad." Ludo bellowed, pointing out the obvious. Jareth rolled his eyes, "Which would she prefer, you think? For the lot of you to go after her, or stay alone?"

It was an answer question quite figured out himself yet, so all he had done until now was watch.

"Our Lady should not be alone in her time of need! We must go console her!" Sir Didymus had already mounted his 'steed', making way for the door. "Hey, wait up!" Hoggle ran after him, followed suit by Ludo.

Jareth stood up after the others had left, leaving him alone in the throne room. In his crystal he saw Sarah had stopped running and sat against a wall, hiding her face.

It would take her friends a long time to reach her, Jareth knew as much as that. The group of unlikely friends were energetic, yes, but as slow as snails. It would seem that he would be the hero to sweep Sarah of her feet.

Not that he minded that.

If anything, it would keep those pests away for a while.

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><p>Sarah felt sick to her stomach, her face red as tears spilled out her eyes. Why did Toby have to die? Why did she feel so guilty? If only she could have done something for him. She felt her parents were to blame, even if she knew that wasn't fair.<p>

She was ripped away from these thoughts, hearing the tap of wood against stone near her. Sarah looked in the direction of the sound, finding the source to be the sleek wood of a cane hitting the ground, the owner of it looking down on her with an unreadable expression.

"I had long hoped you would return to my Labyrinth," Jareth spoke, "But not like this."

Sarah rose from her spot on the ground, not wanting to seem small and helpless to him. She quickly wiped away her tears, sternly watching his eyes. She had a long time to think back on her time here, but this was the first time it dawned on her that Jareth wasn't just trying to mess with her emotions.

He had hoped she would return? The thoughts she usually dismissed when thinking of Jareth's motives crept in like a poison. So he _had_ developed some kind of feelings for her. Sarah had wondered for a long time if her imagination was playing tricks on her whenever she thought back on their interactions, and this made her more certain that... That what exactly? That he'd grown attached to her? That he was interested in her romantically?

Sarah cast her eyes downwards, not knowing what to do with this new information in the first place. She didn't want to think about it anyway. Her mind was too busy grieving for Toby to think clearly.

Jareth voice rang out to her, "Sarah. It must be hard on you... You can stay in my kingdom as long as you want."

She looked up at him. "It's just not fair." she balled her hands into fists, "Why Toby? He was just a kid!"

Tears spilled from her eyes, despite her not wanting to cry in front of him.

Jareth leaned down and cupped her face in his hands. She averted her eyes. "Look at me." his thumbs caressed her cheeks, ridding them of dried up tears. Slowly she sought his eyes, noticing his face hinted worry. "Come back with me to my castle. Rest. There is nothing in my Labyrinth that can take your mind off of this."

Feeling he had a point, Sarah let Jareth take her back to his castle.


	4. Stages of Grief

Jareth watched Sarah as she lay resting. As soon as they had gotten back to the castle, he had led her to this room and she shooed him away. It didn't matter that he was elsewhere, he could always watch her anyway.

Sarah's dreams were nothing like Jareth remembered them.

What once were dreams of fairytale balls were now replaced with dreams of family and the future.

How unimaginative.

Her current dream featured Toby still alive and playing with Sarah as if nothing happened at all. While it was sweet, Jareth simply knew that Sarah would be off worse waking up with those dreams in her memory than it would, oh, say, a dream featuring him?

He spun his crystal balls, one by one blowing them towards Sarah, her dream taking a different shape entirely. Someplace more like home. _His home_.

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_The room was spinning and Sarah was spinning with it. What was happening? She stood still for a moment, before realizing, the room was moving, but she didn't feel dizzy at all. Slowly she stepped forward, and the environment changed around her. She took another step, her surroundings became copper and gold colored. She began running forward, and the new began to take shape. _

_Finding herself getting more curious about this new place, she started to run until it was nearly to its completion. _

_Suddenly, something grabbed her hand and she was yanked back into something soft._

"_Sarah," a familiar voice behind her called, and the world around her stopped._

_They stood atop of a hill, overlooking the Labyrinth and the castle in the distance. "Goblin King..." Sarah whispered softly, turning around to face the man. Jareth flashed her his trademark grin, still holding onto her hand firmly, but gently. "That's right, I never did introduce myself properly, did I?You may call me Jareth." _

_Dream Sarah looked as if she was sizing him up, her hand slowly slipping out of his grasp as she took a step back. _

"_Don't be frightened, this is only a dream. Anything that happens here will not matter in the material world." _

_The dream version crossed her arms, "You say that as if you want something to happen. And even if something would, who says I won't remember it later on?" _

_Yes, Sarah had grown up into a brighter woman. She would not be fooled by the Goblin King again._

_Jareth approached her, putting one hand on her hip and using the other to take on of hers. He pulled her sideways, guiding her into a waltz. "Would it matter if you remembered?" Jareth replied smoothly. Just as she wanted to yell something back at him, a gently melody started playing._

_Sighing, she went along with the waltz to composed herself. She couldn't let her guard down. "Yes, it does matter. Think back on the last time you and I were in a dream together, I lost my memory, that's not something I want to repeat." _

_Jareth let go of her, conjuring up one of his crystals. "Are you certain?" _

_Sarah made a face, but she didn't have the time to come up with a witty answer. Jareth threw the crystal at her, which she caught._

_However, it was not a crystal anymore. It had taken the shape of a peach. "It is your choice Sarah. You can forget whatever is troubling you." _

_She looked up, but he was no longer there. The dream faded._

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Sarah jerked awake, franticly looking around to see if anything was around to take a swing at. Noticing nothing was, she sunk back into bed. Okay, recall time. I'm in the castle. That means...

"Oh no!" She held her head, cursing herself. She had hoped Toby's death was all a bad dream, but reality shook her awake again. She couldn't wake up like this daily, it would break her, she reckoned. Then she heard footsteps coming towards her. That light thread could only belong to one person.

"You!" Sarah jumped up from her bed and got in Jareth's face. "Don't you dare meddle with my dreams again!"

Jareth put a hand to his heart, making a face as if he had nothing to do with it. "Me?"

"I know it was your doing, don't try and play innocent!" Sarah glared with the intensity of a thousand suns. "Just because I turned to you for help doesn't mean I immediately trust you, and you just showed once again that I shouldn't!"

Jareth cocked his head to the side, pursing his lips into a smile. God knew what he was smiling for. She wanted something to throw at that smug face of his. Remembering the peach from the dream, she checked her hand, but it wasn't there. It wasn't on the bed either, meaning she had nothing to hurl at him. It also meant that she had no choice at all. She couldn't just forget.

She screeched a short yell of annoyance and shoved him backwards. Jareth chuckled and made his exit. Blowing out a sigh, Sarah fell back on the bed.

"_Sorry, Sarah_," Jareth thought to himself as he walked the stone hallway, a somber expression on his face, "_I'm just trying to help you by speeding up the process._"

He stopped in his tracks to watch the view from a window. The sky was too clear. Too blue. Something had to be done about that. As he thought that, the sky turned into a shade of crimson.

Jareth nodded his head in approval. Yes, this was much better for this next stage in Sarah's grief.

Anger.


	5. Shake On It

_Thanks for the follows, favs and reviews! I'll make sure to make the next chapter soon._

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><p>Sitting in the open window, Jareth thoughtfully watched his Kingdom.<p>

The plan to make Sarah angry had worked better than he could have imagined, but this plan also had some unexpected side effects.

For example, his new position as a goalie, catching goblins before they flew out the window was not something he had planned out.

Sarah, while mostly stalking around the castle and city on her own to blow off steam, had taken on the habit to kick or throw goblins out of her way if they would linger around her for too long.

At first it had amused the Goblin King, seeing his subordinates being pummeled with as he usually would do to them, but the girl had proven to be more aggressive as him and many of the goblins had complained by now. He figured it was high time to seek out Sarah's company again, but he was waiting for the right moment to approach her. He wouldn't want any... _accidents_ to happen.

He could see that Sarah left the city and was going towards the junk yard. She seemed tired to Jareth. Perhaps this would be the time to go to her, he decided.

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><p>With great strides, Sarah made her way through the heaps of garbage towards anywhere but near the castle. She could feel herself calm down more and more as she went further from that blasted city.<p>

As she arrived at the edge of the forest, she allowed herself to stop and take a deep breath. She plopped herself against the nearest tree and closed her eyes, exhaling loudly. She didn't know what to do with herself. She knew she was only still here because of her weakness. She wanted to go home and fling herself on her bed. She remembered the sound of her music box playing Green Sleeves, the tune that had soothed her in the naive days of her past, and wished to hear it again.

She realized too late she had _wished_ for this and sure enough, the light she could see through her eyelids turned dark. It was Jareth standing in front of her, she knew for sure, but she couldn't bother to open up her eyes. After all he had done to her, she didn't even feel that he deserved to be gazed upon by her.

The rustling of his cape and the slight scrunch of leather told Sarah he was either leaning down, or kneeling in front of her. She wondered which it was, and was almost tempted to open her eyes. She didn't. Temptation be damned, she was more curious on what he would do next.

"Sarah, dearest," his hand found its way on her shoulder, his warm breath on her cheek, and she suppressed a shiver.

_Nope, never mind_, she didn't want to know what he would do, this was getting old times creepy and she didn't want him to think she had grown meek. Her eyes shot open and she quickly held him at an arm's length.

"What is it, Goblin King?" she replied coldly, taking in his considerate look. His lips pressed together forming a thin line. They held eye contact for a while, the air growing tenser each passing second. Sarah's arms dropped to her side, but the distance between them stayed. After what felt like forever, he finally spoke up, "If you promise to come back with me, I'll take you for a walk upstairs."

Sarah let the offer sink in. _Upstairs_? Oh right, in the book this place was also called the Underground. She didn't know how much time had passed there in contrast to here. Would it be worth to go? Shouldn't she consider a counter offer? Why would she go back with him?

"Why should I come back here with you?" she sighed.

Jareth laughed shortly at her question.

"What's so funny?" she quirked an eyebrow.

"Didn't you notice? You haven't once made an attempt to leave this place since you came here."

Her nostrils flared and her eyes widened slightly, "Just because I didn't ask, doesn't mean I don't want it."

Jareth grinned and straightened himself, offering her a hand,

"Well then... How about it, Sarah?"

Sarah frowned, why did he have to use her name so often? It made her want to defy him whenever she could, but this offer was not something to think of lightly.

She took his outstretched hand, making sure to show her disdain as he hauled her up.

"No funny business or you won't see me ever again."

"Heh," Jareth leaned in, his face close to Sarah, "You just shook on it, no turning back now."

Before Sarah could object, her sight blurred in a poof of smoke and glitter.


End file.
